Hyaluronan receptor for endocytosis

Abstract

A purified nucleic acid segment encoding a functionally active HARE or an active peptide fragment thereof, and methods for producing functionally active HARE or an active peptide fragment thereof therefrom, wherein the functionally active HARE or an active peptide fragment thereof is able to specifically bind HA, chondroitin and chondroitin sulfate.

1. A purified mammalian HARE, comprising:
 a protein which is able to specifically bind at least one of HA, chondroitin and chondroitin sulfate, the protein being purified to homogeneity and comprising a sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.  
 
     
     
       2. A purified composition, wherein the purified composition comprises a functionally active HARE polypeptide, wherein the functionally active HARE polypeptide is purified to homogeneity and has an amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO:2. 
     
     
       3. A purified mammalian HARE comprising:
 a protein having a molecular mass in a range of from about 175 kDa to about 190 kDa which is able to specifically bind at least one of HA, chondroitin and chondroitin sulfate, wherein the HARE protein is purified to homogeneity and comprises a sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.  
 
     
     
       4. A recombinant mammalian HARE protein which is able to specifically bind at least one of HA, chondroitin and chondroitin sulfate, the recombinant mammalian HARE protein produced by a process comprising the steps of:
 providing a recombinant host cell comprising a vector containing a recombinant DNA segment encoding a mammalian HARE protein comprising a sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2;  
 culturing the recombinant host cell under conditions that will allow for expression of the recombinant DNA segment, thereby producing the recombinant mammalian HARE protein which is able to specifically bind at least one of HA, chondroitin and chondroitin sulfate; and  
 purifying the recombinant mammalian HARE protein to homogeneity.  
 
     
     
       5. The recombinant mammalian HARE protein of  claim 4  wherein the protein has a molecular mass in a range of from about 175 kDa to about 190 kDa. 
     
     
       6. The recombinant mammalian HARE of  claim 4  wherein the recombinant protein is able to specifically bind and endocytose at least one of HA, chondroitin and chondroitin sulfate. 
     
     
       7. A recombinant mammalian HARE protein which is able to specifically bind at least one of HA, chondroitin and chondroitin sulfate, the recombinant mammalian HARE protein produced by a process comprising the steps of:
 providing a recombinant non-rat host cell comprising a vector containing a recombinant DNA segment encoding a mammalian HARE protein comprising a sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2;  
 culturing the recombinant non-rat host cell under conditions that will allow for expression of the recombinant DNA segment, thereby producing the recombinant mammalian HARE protein which is able to specifically bind at least one of HA, chondroitin and chondroitin sulfate.  
 
     
     
       8. The recombinant mammalian HARE protein or  claim 7  wherein the protein has a molecular mass in a range of from about 175 kDa to about 190 kDa. 
     
     
       9. The recombinant mammalian HARE of  claim 7  wherein the recombinant protein is able to specifically bind and endocytose at least one of HA, chondroitin and chondroitin sulfate.